British troops rescued four hostages early this morning. Two of them were female aid workers, and they had two Afghan guards that were taken hostage with them.

And then in not-so-great news, the Taliban staged a major attack on a NATO base Friday. NATO forces fought back the attack, killing 14 militants, but by any measure, this attack should give the U.S. pause.

The Taliban used a truck bomb, and 14 militants storming a base is a serious attack. It goes against the conventions of guerrilla warfare — much easier to just plant IED’s and avoid direct engagement.

Even the very story above had this to say:

In the past two years, the U.S.-led coalition has sent tens of thousands of troops into Taliban strongholds in the south and has largely succeeded in boosting security there. The Taliban have responded by opening up new fronts in the north and west and stepping up attacks in the east, where much of the heaviest fighting is presently concentrated.

“There is a lot in the Western press about the Taliban coming back and all that,” Karzai said. “If you asked me three years ago, I would have not answered you in the positive. I would have said ‘I don’t know’ or ‘you are probably right’ or somewhere in-between. But now, I can tell you with confidence that the Taliban as a force to threaten the government of Afghanistan or the way of life we have chosen is no longer there. The withdrawal of the international forces from Afghanistan will not lead to the Taliban coming back.”

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